By Emma Khayat
Kim Kardashian rose to fame in 2007 after a sex tape with her then-boyfriend, Ray J, was leaked online. Kim capitalized off her newfound fame, launching the now iconic reality show, Keeping Up With The Kardashians, that same year. The show got successful ratings, running for 20 seasons and thrusting the entire Kardashian family into the spotlight. It has been impossible to escape the Kardashians ever since, and the more we learn about Kim and her clan, the more criticism she receives. Kim has had some-not-so fantastic moments, like her aforementioned sex tape, photoshop scandals, promoting harmful beauty trends, and other immoral or unethical behavior, that has been broadcasted to the whole world.
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Despite the reasons above, the biggest problem people appear to have with Kim Kardashian is her lack of talent, or that she is famous just for being famous. The phrase “being famous for being famous" goes back all the way to 1961, when it was coined by social theorist Daniel J Boorstein. In his analysis, The Image: A Guide to Pseudo-events in America, he suggested that the evolution of journalism as entertainment had “severed fame from greatness,” and that fame could be established on the basis of simply being well known. It was around this time we first saw athletes, actors, and other entertainers gaining notoriety based on their physical appearance and or personal life. As we all know, this trend only continued. Around the year 2000, the phrase, “famous for being famous,” morphed into “celebutant,” a term used in entertainment journalism outlets at the time, like TMZ, Daily Mail, or US Weekly, to describe women who were popular for no reason other than being wealthy and pretty, like Paris Hilton. However, the narrative of “famous for being famous” that is painted by these entertainment journalists is often strictly targeted towards women. It is and is just another way for tabloids to belittle them.
To go back in time again, let’s say up until the ‘60s, journalism and the press wereas primarily respectful towards whom they reported. For example, President Franklin Roosevelt was confined to a wheelchair due to polio. However, for the sake of saving face and reputation based on societal norms at the time, he was never publicly seen in a wheelchair. Despite knowing about his disability, the press refrained from making it a hot topic out of respect. Similarly, President John F Kennedy was rumored to be a womanizer and struggled with drug abuse thanks to a back injury, but again, out of respect, these sorts of stories were kept out of the paper. As time went on and journalism became a form of entertainment, news outlets found that exposing people's dirt was far more profitable.
Now, back to the present day. We know that entertainment journalism and magazines prey on women more so than men. We have seen it all our lives with magazine covers highlighting Beyonce’s cellulite, criticizing Britney Spears’s parenting, or shaming Miley Cyrus for a topless picture. But why are women typically the subject of scrutiny in magazines? The answer is more complex than just plain old sexism. Women are the largest consumer of gossip magazines, and though we continue to improve our mentality, as time goes on, women will tear down other women. Whether it is subconscious or intentional, most women have prayed on the downfall of another. We do this as a response to a millennium of oppression from men. Despite equal rights movements, we are still susceptible to the patriarchy. We may feel threatened by the success or flourishment of other women because we are conditioned to compare ourselves to and compete with each other. In consequence, we have fueled a billion- dollar industry that thrives off of attacking women. As a society, we have certainly evolved. and I myself note far less women-specific slander in thancomparison to a few decades ago, which featured some of the very real headlines I mentioned above. I believe the more we learn and the more effort we put towards supporting each other, this will dissipate. Regardless, we still have a ways to go.
Consequently, Kim Kardashian is a victim of this industry. Yes, she may not be famous for her talent, but she learned how to market herself and sustain success nonetheless. Personally, I do not believe Kim Kardashian to be an outstanding person; and she has definitely done some unethical things to get where she is today. Still, she went from Paris Hilton's assistant to a wildly successful business woman who uses her platform to aid in prison reform. Not to mention, she not only made it all the way to the top and, but she brought her family with her. Though she may have done some questionable things to reach her peak,said peak, all in all Kim Kardashian is not the world’s worst role model. She is cut throat and strong, yet demonstrates the power of loyalty and family.
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